Automobile body



E. G. HEUER AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Dec. 29, 1927 Aug. 2, 1932.

Fig. 6 13184 647454 not be carried upwards.

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 PATENT OFFICE EMIL GEORGHEUER, 0F naesnmv, GERMANYAUTOMOBILE BODY Application filed December 29, 1927, Serial No. 243,383,and in Germany August 27, 1927.

In automobile bodies having a collapsible hood or top it is usual toarrange adjacent the recessed portions of the body over the rear wheelsside windows which can be raised or lowered to close or open them bymeans of a crank or handle. When the top is folded back, the rear sidewindows must be lowered.

so as not to project above the upper edge of the rigid part of the body.The strut members in this position rest on such edge. Since by reason ofthe provision on the body of portions which are setback, to providespace for the rear wheels, only limited amount of height is available inthe panel, the window on the one hand must be kept very low while on theother hand the upper edge of the body must be carried fairly high. Thebody is thereby given an unsightly appearance while the other dimensionsof the body are unfavourably affected. 7

In contradistinction thereto the present invention consists in makingthe lateral members of the top, which rest on one another when the topis folded back, so narrow and arranging them in such manner that theyrest on the upper edge of the fixed part of the body externally of butclose alongside the window. I

With such an arrangement the window may be maintained in normal heightyet the upper edge of the rigid part-of the body need On'the windowbeing down it projects to a certain extent above the upper edge but doesnot interfere with the folding of the top as the folded members of thetop lie to one side of the upwardly projecting part of the window. It iseasy to arrange for the upper'edgeof the' window to lie flush with theupper edge of the folded members so as to provide a flat surface.

Since usually when the top is folded back 1 the three struts will be insuperposed'relation this-structure lying on the top edge of thebody'will be unnecessarily high. Such a disadvantage is avoided inaccordance with the present-invention by'forming the pillar or.

upright member between the rear side window and the door window as anangle rail in such manner that on the top being folded such railre'stswith one face on the upper within the angle the other two strutssuperposed on one another.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1shows the relative parts of a body with the top or hood in raisedposition. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the top or hood partly foldedback. Fig. 3 shows in vertical cross section the new arrangement withthe window in closed or raised position and the top or hood folded back.Fig. 4 shows also in vertical cross section the improved arrangementwith the window closed and the top or hood in raised position; Fig. 5shows the improved arrangement with the window down and with the topfolded back. Finally, Fig. 6 is a transversesection on the line 6-6 ofFig. 1. Adjacent the rearwheels 1 the rigid part 2 of the body is offsetat 8 as indicated particularly in Fig. 3 to provide the Wheel housing.This offset portion limits the possible downward movement of the sidewindow 4 located. adjacent the rear wheel. I

The top or hood 5 is foldable in the usual manner. Such top or hood iscarried by the parallelogram links 6, 7 and by the foldable members 8,9which are moved as shown in Fig. 2 to fold back the top or hood.

In accordance with the present invention the parallelogram linkage 6, 7and the associated cant rails 8, 9 are made so narrow and are disposedlaterally of and externally of the window in such manner that on beingfolded as shown in Fig. 5 they rest alongside the window 4 on the upperedge 10 of the rigid part of the body. The window 4 itself may be keptof the usual height without the need for carrying upwards the upperedges 10 of the rigid part of the body. The window 4 may be lowered sofar as the offset for the wheel housing permits in which position itsupper portion may project beyond the edge 10. In this position theprojecting part of the window 4 is hardly visible, if at all, from theexterior when the hood or top is folded back since in such position thefolded members 6, 8 and 9, as shown in Fig. 5, mask the upwardlyprojecting part of the WiIldOW.' The rear window can be raised bodywhile the other flange 12 extends upwards at right angles, the members 8and 9 being recelved within the angle. These members 8, 9 are, as itwere, sunk into such angular space.

As is indicated in Fig. 6, the rear side window 4 is set inwards inrelation to the door window 13. The rear side window as indicated inFigs. 3 and a is thus guided in an inwardly and downwardly inclineddirection in such manner that the upper edge of the window when the topor hood is raised bears against the rubber packing 1i of the upperhorizontal top member or cant rail 8. The inclined position of thewindow 4 permits of the necessary space between the folded members ofthe top and the window itself (see Fig. 5) which space must be providedto permit of raising and lowering the win dow without friction, inparticular when the top is folded back and the window raised.

There is secured to the guide rail of the rear side window 4 adjacentthe window 13 a flap 16 hinged at 17. This flap may, as shown in Fig. 6,be moved'into a position to close the space between the guide rail 15and the adjacent guide rail 18 for the door window 13. Moreover onturning the guide rail 15 on its hinge 19 (see Figs. 3 and 4) the flapmay be turned so as to cover the part of the window projecting abovetherigidpart 2 as indicated in Fig. 5.- In this manner the part of thewindow projecting above the rigid part of the body is substantiallyenclosed at both sides.

. I claim:

1. In combination with an automobile body having a rear wheel housingand a rigid body portion above said housing, a slidable door window anda rear side window set inwards in relation to the door window, afoldable top including parallelogram links and cant rails, one of saidlinks, when said top is up'forming a pillar member adjacent the space between said windows, said pillar member being formed as an angle bar andfoldable with one face of said bar to lie on said rigid body portionwhen said top is folded back, said cant rails being adapted to lie insuperposed relationship along said side window and between said windowand the other face of said angle bar.

2. In combination with an automobile 7 body having a rear wheel set'inportion and a rigid body portion above said set in portion,

a slidable door window, a side window adapted to be lowered into saidrigid body portion, a foldable top, including parallelogram links andcant rails, one of said parallelogram links when said top is up forminga pillar member adjacent the space between said windows, and beingformed as an angle bar, one face of said angle bar being adaptedwhensaid top is folded back to lie on the top edge of said rigid bodyportion along side said side window, the other face of said angle barprojectin upwardly and forming a space between it and said side window,said cant rails being adapted to lie inv superposed relation ship withinsaid last named space when said top'is folded back.

3. In combination with an automobile body having a rear wheel set backportion and a rigid body portion above said set back portion, a slidabledoor window therefor, a side window adapted to be lowered into saidrigid body portion, a foldable top including parallelogram members andside members, one of said parallelogram members being formed as an anglebar and foldable with one face of said bar to lie on the edge of saidrigid body portion externally of said'side window when said top isfolded back, said side members being adapted to lie in superposedrelationship alongside said side window, between said window and theother face of said angle bar, and means adapted to bridge the spacebetween said windows when they are in raised position and also adaptedto complete the enclosure surrounding said side window when said top isfolded back and said window is lowered.

4. In combination with an automobile body having a rear Wheel set inportion and a rigid body portion above said set in portion, a I

slidable door window, a side window adapted to be lowered. into saidrigid body portion, side members of a foldable top adapted when said topis folded back to lie externally of and along one side of saidsidewindow,

guiding means for said windows, means attached to the guiding means ofsaid side window, adjacent said door window, adapted when said windowsare in raised position to close the space between said last namedguiding means and the adjacent guiding means on said first named window,and also adapted to swing to complete the enclosure surrounding saidside window when said top is folded back and said side window islowered.

5. In combination with an automobile body having a rear wheel set inportion a rigid body portion above said set in portion and a foldabletop whose members when said top is folded back are adapted to lie alongthe external side of said side window, a slidable door window, a sidewindow adapted to be lowered into said rigid body portion, pivoted guiderails for said windows, a flap pivotally attached to the guide'rail ofsaid side g window adjacent said door window, adapted when said windowsare in raised position to close the space between said last named guiderail and the adjacent guide rail on said door window, and also adaptedto swing to cover the exposed side of said side window remaining whensaid top is folded back and said side window is lowered.

6. In combination with an automobile having rear wheel housings, a bodyportion formed over said housings, and side windows slidably mounted insaid bodyportion over said housings, a foldable top having aparallelogram linkage pivotally mounted to said body portion adjacenteach side window, one member of each linkage being in form of an anglebar, and cant rails pivotally connected to each linkage, one flange ofeach angle bar lying on said body portion alongside the respective sidewindow, the other flange of each angle bar projecting upwardly and beingspaced from the respective side window and said pivotally connected cantrails lying in superposed relationship in the spaces between theupwardly projecting flanges and respective side windows when said top isfolded back.

7. In combination with an automobile hav- 7 ing rear wheel housings anda body portion over said housings, a slidably mounted side window insaid body portion over each of 7 said housings, a foldable top includinga pair of parallelogram linkages, one mounted to each side of said bodyportion, cant rails connected to each linkage, one member of eachlinkage being formed as an angle bar which is foldable along the topedge of said body portion with one flange of said bar adapted to lie onsaid body portion along one of said side windows and said connected cantrails lying in the space between said last named side window and theother flange ofthe respective angle bar when said top is folded back.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' EMIL GEORG HEUE-R.

